Britannica Sources used in this answer

How does Shaktism connect kundalini with spiritual liberation?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Painting depicting Hindu gods Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma with Ganesha standing and paying homage to Mahadevi, who is seated on a lotus and playing a stringed instrument. — Hinduism Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma (left to right) pay homage to Mahadevi (the great goddess, in white in the form of Saraswati), attended by the elephant-headed deity Ganesha, in a painting dated c. 1750.

In Shaktism, which is deeply integrated with Hindu Tantra, the kundalini is understood as the divine power of the goddess Shakti lying dormant within the human body. Often envisioned as a coiled serpent at the base of the spine, this cosmic energy is considered the source of creation and existence.123

To achieve spiritual liberation, or release from the cycle of rebirths (samsara), practitioners—often through Tantric or Yoga practices—aim to awaken this energy. Through specific techniques involving postures, breathing, and meditation, the kundalini is guided upward through subtle canals connected to the spinal cord.132

As the kundalini rises, it passes through a series of energy centers known as chakras. When the energy reaches the seventh chakra at the top of the head, the practitioner experiences a state of profound bliss, signifying the reintegration of the self with the eternal essence and resulting in spiritual liberation.423